Phils Drop Mets, Inch Closer to 4th Straight Playoff Berth

Sensing the playoffs are within arms length, the Phillies did what they could to reserve a spot with a 3-2 win over the Mets. They solved the puzzle that is R.A. Dickey and got a solid performance out of Joe Blanton, capturing their 11th consecutive victory in the process. The 11 wins in a row is the most since they ran off 13 straight in 1991.

Blanton came up with seven solid innings, following the lead of the Big 3 before him. Big Joe fanned six and had made one mistake, which ended up deep in the right field seats off the bat of Angel Pagan. Blanton normally makes one or two mistakes per game that hurt him, but lately he’s been able to minimize any possible damage. He’ll come in handy in the playoffs as the likely long relief guy for the NLDS. Manuel may have looked ahead just for a minute here, saving Joe’s arm by leaving him in for only 74 pitches.

The Phillies fourth starter isn’t worried about what his role will be in the postseason, he just wants more jewelry. “I’m here to win. I’m not here to, ‘ahh, I want to start’,” said Blanton. ” I’m here to try and win another ring, you know, that’s more important to me than anything.”

R. A. Dickey has killed the Phillies at times this year, but today he was the hunted. In six innings of work he allowed three runs – two earned – over eight hits, with two walks and four strikeouts.

Dickey was pounced on early as Victorino went yard to open up the evening, allowing the crowd to get started early. In the second inning, Victorino struck again, plating Wilson Valdez with a double to left field. Two innings later, Carlos Ruiz continued his steady season with an RBI single, scoring Raul Ibanez who had singled early and moved to second on a passed ball.

Ryan Madson locked down the eighth inning by throwing gas and retiring the side in order on just 15 pitches. Brad Lidge came in and got a quick out, before getting into some trouble.

Ike Davis doubled to left, his third hit of the game, and was pushed to third on a fly out to deep center by Pagan. With two outs and a runner on third, Lidge walked Josh Thole before the most interesting play of the night occured.

As Lidge came home on his 0-1 pitch to Jesus Feliciano, time was called by third base umpire Hunter Wendelstedt. Apparently, the Mets were attempting to pinch run one pitch into the at-bat, something that seldom occurs. Feliciano had grounded the ball back to Lidge, who thought the game was over. It was not.

“It was a little ridiculous I think,’ said Lidge. “It’s kind of a weird play…but either way I guess I just have to stay focused and hope that’s not something I have to do every time.”

Luckily, after some arguing that went nowhere from Charlie Manuel, Lidge struck Feliciano out to end the ballgame on an odd note. Nonetheless, the Phillies sealed the deal and took a step toward their fourth straight division crown.

With the Phillies win and the Braves 8-3 loss to Washington tonight, the magic number in the division is now two. A win tomorrow, coupled with another Braves loss, and the division will be sealed. The champagne could be flowing tomorrow night.

Recommended for you

56 Comments

sportsphan

September 24, 2010 at 10:31 pm

I’d like to see us score more runs and stop leaving so many guys on base. That will come back and bite us sooner or later when it will REALLY hurt. I also need to beg humble pardon from everyone for refusing to believe that they would make the post-season. I’ve been a Phillies fan now for 50 years and have been burned so many times that I deliberately try to keep my hopes down and not let others around me jack them up. Can’t wait for the World Series!

There is a new synthetic EPO that is all the rage in horse racing. Some clown from california got a batch of it and came east and was the rage for about 6 months. But it is as yet undectable.
Whatever hes using is undetectable.

I didnt see the slide to judge but we cant afford to lose Utley now. I know this is how he plays but we just cant afford to lose him. That means Dobber gets playing time…consider that….another great win by the Phils….in the 1st round of the playoffs we should definitely go with our 3 aces…2nd round i believe we should fire with 2 of our 3 aces and give Blanton the 3rd start…we have H20 but we also only have 2 dependable bullpen guys….

@ Brooks agree it was obvious. Like Dykstra in the playoffs. Whatever Lenny did he upped it in the playoffs and it paid off.
Foolish to thnk things arent still done. But it is as clean as the games been in 20 years now. I think.

Doc gets his one more start but i will be 6 innings. Unless they decide he doesnt need it.
The best record in baseball and perfect game compare favorably to wainwrights team not even making the playoffs.

Again, my comment as is…
Mets manager, Jerry Manuel on his thoughts about Utley’s hard takeout slide: ” “It was a little late,” Manuel said. “You’ve got to be ready to respond. We’ll take care of it. We’ll slide hard, do stuff like that.” David Wright responded the same by saying his teammates will “retaliate” in kind when the opportunity presents itself. Pitcher R.A. Dickey thought it was “intentionally dirty”.

Utley knows he is a marked man. However, the Phillies should and will backed him up in support.

In the meantime, the Phillies with their 11th win in row and an amazing 19-3 run in September, have cut their magic number in half to two, thanks to Nats handing the Braves a 4th loss in a row. The Braves, by the way, are in danger of not making the playoffs as a wildcard team.

man lidge is impressing me anymore getting the last out of the game twice with runner on when he would usually panic and blow the game…lets hope the nats can pull out a w tomorrow and kk can pitch a gem and get this thing over.

It’s really impressive what the Phils are achieving. So many people have been so eager to point out every angle of how the moves made on and off the field would hurt the Phils both now and down the road… But there’s a winning culture now. This team isn’t getting old fast, it isn’t losing it’s talent and it isn’t full of underperforming or unlucky players.

It’s clear this team is hungry and believes they can get back to the Series otherwise you don’t wrack off 11 straight wins at this point in the year unless your chasing a team down, they’ve clearly have bought into whats being sold.

Note – Dick Enberg should retire. I was listening to some Padres highlights and it doesn’t go down easy. Plus he is not that intelligent behind the mike some of our guys, he’s just not that interesting.
IMO

Back to the Phils, even the Mets fans are acknowledging that we are simply better — better management, better front office, better players, better attitude. (Go check out the posts and comments on Metsblog.) Any other team would have crumbled under the injury pressures we faced this year.

Whatever about Cy Young. Charlie deserves Manager of the Year for leading this team through the tough times and bringing us — once again — to the division title.

I did not get to see the game last night driving down from Vermont to Doylestown for game today, and tomorrow. I do not know if it is against the code but I have a friend who is a Mets fan, so he will be at the game with us tonight, and then my Season tickets Sunday, I guess he will be in a bar somewhere. So I do not know about the slide into second, But from the box score it looks like Joe B did a good job and makes me feel good about him when we need a 4th starter. The Braves play at one so we will all know the outcome before tonights game. I say we just sweep the Mets and take care of business ourselves. I agree that all of King Cole and the Roy-al court get short starts to stay on routine and set up for the first round.

I would also be cautious about thinking The Phillies will walk through the playoffs, there is a reason teams do not go back to back to back WS. One playoff series at a time. Any team the Phillies face will derserve to be in the playoffs, and yes getting to pick your schedule will be a huge advatage if they end up with the best record in the NL. It is possible to go with 3 man rotation in the first round with everyone getting full rest, you would play game one on wed game 2 on Friday right, then Saturday off right Monday would be game 4 game 5 tuesday. So someone would have to go on short rest. Or would you prefer the wed thurs day off for first two games. I should know but I left playoff schedule at home in VT

Someone should gather all the clips they can of Sweeney hugging, high-fiving, and dancing in the dugout (and playing in the field while Howard was out) and make a video to “Dancing in September.” That’d be entertaining.

I really hope we can clinch this weekend. First it would be great to do it in front of the home crowd and in front of the Mets. Secondly, I would like to see the bench guys get more starts in the last week of the season. Try and get them more at bats before the post season. Then again, with H20 pitching like they have been we might not need too many pitch hitters.

As for the Cy Young race, if the stats are close then I think Doc’s perfect game has to be the tie breaker.

Mets manager, Jerry Manuel on his thoughts about Utley’s hard takeout slide: ” “It was a little late,” Manuel said. “You’ve got to be ready to respond. We’ll take care of it. We’ll slide hard, do stuff like that.” David Wright responded the same by saying his teammates will “retaliate” in kind when the opportunity presents itself. Pitcher R.A. Dickey thought it was “intentionally dirty”.

I hope Utley is alerted to this and prepared for anything coming his way in this series with the Mets.

What a great September. I never expected the Phils to get this hot!! It is amazing. I hope this hot streak continues in the playoffs. I bet Kyle Kendrick is feeling strong peer pressure to pitch a dandy tonight. Another win gets us that much closer.

I would like to see us clinch this weekend as well. Get the bench guys some playing time to get the rust off for the playoffs. Also, it would be especially good to rest the Aces and starters. Let Rollins get some time on the field, Get at bats for Gload, Sweeney, Francisco, Schneider and Dobbs. Get everyone ready and rested for the Big Show !!!!

It doesn’t seem possible but the Muts are even dumber than I already thought they were.

If they really wanted to come at Utley hard today, they shouldn’t have made such a big deal out of it. Now everyone, including the umpiring crew and MLB supervisors will be looking for it. It was bad enough they made such a big deal at the game of it. But then to be so stupid as to talk to the media?

The blogs would have picked it up on their own, but no, the Muts are willing to interview on it. Dumba$$es!

I think it is good that KK is pitching tonight Cause if they hit Chase, then KK can retaliate, and what get a 2-3 game suspension, It would be fun, as long as no one gets hurt. or better yet just wait until we are up 10-1 and let the benches go at it and just send out all the call ups , like Mayberry, and Brown, and Hoover to take care of business, that way come playoffs we do not lose anyone

How pathetic can the mets get?
Whats next? Signing Carlos Beltran and K Fraud to long term deals?
Or people stating how great Beltran is?

NY media and tards who post on blogs. Beltran, Reyes and Piaaza are the best for sure.

los·er (lzr)
n.
1. a. One that fails to win: the losers of the game.
b. One who takes loss in a specified way: a graceful loser; a poor loser.
2. a. One that fails consistently, especially a person with bad luck or poor skills
b. One that is bad in quality

They wont throw at Utley because he wont be in the line up tonight.
Possibly tomorrow too. Dont need nonsense when trying to goto a 3rd straight world sereis. Especially against losers.

Both husband and wife has become increasingly difficult to communicate, there may be a party in an affair, or get along with the idea found in both with the same habit too and can not adapt to, or a meeting to fight, or even domestic violence.